little lemon cakes

I went through all of the photos I took for this recipe but this is hands down my favourite – my little helpers in the kitchen. I love that I take photos of everything that goes on here and while I don’t share all of my family photos on here, I had to share this one. Keira always wants to help out with my baking and had a ball this afternoon. And if Elodie isn’t following me around the house then she’s following her big sister Keira. This is the kind of photo that I hope my little ones will love when they’re all grown up and want to know what life was like in our house growing up.

Now lemon and sugar is one of my favourite combinations. It’s right up there with chocolate and peanut butter for me. And so I found a recipe for Lemon Yoghurt muffins in a cute little book called Home Bake by Eric Lanlard. But the thing is that these are definitely more of a cake than a muffin and you get this little burst of lemon curd in the centre. Amazing. But if you’re a piggy like me and can’t wait to taste the cakes hot out of oven – well don’t with this one. Or you’ll get a burnt roof of your mouth like I did. Ouchee! I should have seen that coming.

I hope you enjoy this little recipe. I’ve adapted it from Home Bake by Eric Lanlard and converted it to the Thermomix. If I was making them for a breakfast or morning tea treat I’d add an extra 1/2 cup plain flour and 1tsp baking powder and the poppy seeds while leaving out the lemon curd. For a dessert or little adult treat then definitely pop the curd in the centre and stick to the recipe card. These would be delicious warm served with ice cream.

I've adapted this recipe from Lemon Yoghurt mufins in Home Bake by Eric Lanlard

Recipe type: Baking

Serves: 10

What you'll need

150g unsalted butter, room temperature

zest of ½ lemon

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

200g natural yoghurt

juice of 1 lemon

200g plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1 tsp poppyseeds (optional)

a few Tbsp lemon curd

Instructions

If you have a Thermomix then place strips of lemon zest in TM bowl with sugar. Process for 10 seconds on speed 9. Add in cubed butter and cream for 1 minute on speed 4.

Add in eggs one at a time while machine is running at speed 4. Process 30 seconds.

Add in yoghurt and juice and combine 10 seconds speed 4.

Add in sifted flour, baking powder and poppyseeds and process on speed 2 for 30 seconds

**Half fill a muffin tray or cupcake liner with batter (about a Tablespoon full) and place a tsp of lemon curd in the centre. Top with another Tbsp of batter and repeat with entire mixture. You'll get about 10-12 little cakes

Bake in a preheated oven of 180C/350F for at least 25 minutes. You want a nice golden colour to the little cake.

If you don't have a Thermomix then cream your butter, sugar and lemon zest. Add in eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add in yoghurt and lemon juice and mix well. Sift in flour and baking powder and poppyseeds if you are using them. Follow from **.

I know exactly what you mean about photographing the everyday activities in the family home. They capture so much more than we realise. It’s our recorded family history and I love sharing the creation of your history!
My friend Ryll, currently one of your blog advertisers, runs wonderful workshops on writing memoirs and the importance of photographs to jog the memory and improve the accuracy. School children especially are fascinated with her old photos and the humour of the stories she tells about them.
Thank you for another wonderful recipe. I too am a great fan of anything lemony.

They look absolutely delicious Corrie! And I love that photo of your girls too. They will definitely look back on their childhood with great fondness as you make everything so very special for them. So cute that Elodie loves her big sis so much xo

Wow what delicious little morsels these cakes are!!!! I have just made them in little owl tins to try for my Grandaughters 1st Birthday party….how yummy, I couldn’t stop eating the batter while I was spooning it into the tins…..a little drizzle of lemon icing & yum….thanks for a wonderful recipe for my thermomix, so easy & so delicious!!!!!! YUM

These were amazing. I love lemon things and its great to bake something for my boys that isn’t chocolate flavoured and has poppy seeds and yoghurt in it just to help make it a little bit healthy. We loved them with the Lemon Curd in the centre. How very timely my Mum had just given me a jar of homemade Lemon Butter.